Mental exhaustion symptoms: Mental exhaustion is kind of like physical tiredness, except it is your mind that feels exhausted instead of your muscles. It shows up when you focus on a mentally tough task. You might also feel this kind of brain drain if you are always stressed out. Your job, caring for family or aging parents, and other things can lead to mental exhaustion.
Mental exhaustion symptoms:
You stay angry or impatient
Mental exhaustion can put you in a bad mood. You may be short-tempered or, snapping at people more often. It is more difficult to control your emotions when you are mentally tapped out.
You find it hard to get work done
Everyone’s productivity goes up and down. But mental exhaustion can make it tough to concentrate. It also drains your motivation. You might get diverted easily or miss deadlines. Even small tasks may seem to burden.
You feel zoned out
This can look like mind drowsiness. It makes it difficult to pay close attention to what you are doing, and you may not react to things quickly.
Also Read: Effects of social isolation on mental health.
You find it hard to sleep
You might think it would be easier to sleep again when your brain is tired. But that is not always the case. As per the research, people who have jobs with a high mental workload may have more symptoms of insomnia than those who do not have mentally exhausting work. A lack of sleep can make mental fatigue worse.
You feel depressed
You might not have any energy to do things or feel like you are moving in slow motion. Some people feel numb which can make it hard to complete things at work or do everyday activities. consult your doctor if you have really low feelings or a sense of sorrow for longer than 2 weeks. This can be a sign your depression is more serious.
You stress a lot
Mental fatigue activates your sympathetic nervous system. Anxiety is an alarm that tells you something is not good. If you are always mentally exhausted, you might start to feel worried all the time. That often occurs alongside symptoms of depression.
Exercise feels more difficult
Mental fatigue affects physical health. Some people’s exercise tolerance might go down. So it may seem like you are putting in more effort than you need.
Change in eating habits
Mental fatigue can affect your hunger in different ways. You may eat more than usual and not pay attention to what you eat. Stress can also make you crave something sweet, salty, or fatty foods. Or you may not feel hungry at all.
You commit more mistakes
Your work can’t be perfect all the time. But mental fatigue reduces your capacity to catch and fix your mistakes fast or at all. That can cause serious problems in certain employment, such as ones where you use machines or drive a vehicle.
You feel extreme pain
Everyone is different, which makes it hard to say how mental fatigue will impact your body. You might catch headaches, back pain, sore muscles, or stomach problems.